United Airlines has placed a new order for 25 Boeing 737-700s, in addition to its January 21 order for 40 of the type. It also will convert 787 orders originally anticipated for delivery in 2020 and beyond into orders for four 777-300ERs and five 787-9s, for delivery beginning in 2017.

Successful completion of the first 737 MAX 8 flight begins a comprehensive flight-test program which Boeing expects to lead to certification and first 737 MAX 8 delivery to launch customer Southwest Airlines in the third quarter of 2017.

The aircraft features a special livery commemorating the significance of the delivery. Part of the significance for Xiamen Airlines is that in China the number ‘8’ is considerably particularly lucky, because in Pinyin it sounds similar to the word which means ‘wealth’ or ‘prosper’.

China Southern Airlines has announced a commitment to purchase 80 new Boeing 737s, including 30 7737NGs and 50 737 MAX jets. Meanwhile, UK leisure carrier Jet2.com has finalized a follow-on order for three additional 737-800s.

The detailed-design completion milestone is critical to every development program because it means the information needed to build parts and tools for assembly has been completed and released for fabrication or procurement, according to Boeing.

The two new 747-8Fs are the first to be delivered to the Russian scheduled air cargo carrier under a memorandum of understanding for 20 747-8Fs signed between Boeing and Volga-Dnepr Group at the Paris Air Show in June.